Drying apparatus



Aug. 14, 11923.

D. S. BAKER DRYING APPARATUS Original Filed July 24 1919 2 Shecmaw-Sheet 1 v Patented Aug. it, 11%23.

DAVID at. an, or cannnwrcn, connncrrcnr;

DRYING APPARATUS.

Application filed 31115; 24, 1919, Serial No. 912,920. Renewed February 5, i928.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID S. BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenwich, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut. have invented a certain new and useful Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a drying apparatu adapted for use upon, or in connection with, different materials and manufactured products.

The object is to control the circulation of a gaseous drying medium so that it flows into contact repeatedly with the material or product under treatment during transit of said material or product within a drying chamber, whereby the exchange of heat for moisture is effected under conditions assuring rapidity of drying with economy of operation.

Generally stated, an apparatus of my invention embodies a drying chamber, a conveyor positioned for carrying the material or product within said chamber, a plurality of relatively stationary deflectors so positioned with reference to the Walls of the chamber as to produce compartments adjacent the path of said conveyor, bafiles movable with said conveyor, and means for circulating a drying medium, usually preheated air, the direction of flow of which drying medium is controlled by the stationary deflectors and by the moving bafies so as to attain multiple contact of said drying medium with the load (material or products) in transit within the drying chamber.

A. salient feature of the invention is the relation between the moving bafies and the deflectors adjacent thereto so that at no point in the travel of the conveyor is there a free open space directly between one compartment and another compartment or compartments adjacent thereto, as a result of which the drying medium is controlled and directed to flow in a zigzag path and transversely to the path of the conveyor and within the spaces intermediate the moving bafies. The described construction and organization so controls the flow of the drying medium that it is brought into contact repeatedly with the load on the conveyor, thus attaining efiiciency and economy of operation.

Other functions and advantages of the -in vention will appear from the followin description taken inconnection with the rawings, the latter illustrating difiierent constructional forms of the invention, and

drying chamber, illustrating in plan a traveling conveyor and a succession of moving baii les, the same constituting a drying apparatus embodyin this invention.

F 1g. 2 is a vertica longitudinal sectional elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

F1 3 is a vertical transverse section in the p ane of the dotted line 33 of Fig. 2.

Flg. t is a detail illustrating one means for the attachment of a baflle to a part of the conveyor.

Figs. 5, 6 and 6 are views of another form of the apparatus wherein an overhead trolley conveyor is employed for carrying the load and imparting movement to the bal fles ,said Fig. 5 being a longitudinal sectional elevation, whereas Fig. 6 is a cross section, and Fig. 6 is a detail of a form of double-roller trolley.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, and Fig. 8 1s a cross section on the line 8-8, of still another form of apparatus embodying the invention.

Fig. 9 is a view, partly in longitudinal section and partly in elevation, of a form of apparatus adapted for drying coated manufactured products, such as automobile bodies.

The apparatus illustrated in Fi s. 1 to 4; inclusive will first be described, re errin to which A is a drying chamber of desired longitudinal and cross sectional dimensions; said chamber may be a tunnel, or any other construction suitable for the purpose.

Within said chamber A is positioned a conveyor B, to which movement is imparted continuously or intermittently, as desired. Said conveyor is or may be of any appropriate form. As shown it is an endless apron or belt, the loading and delivery end portions of which are exteriorly to the drying chamher. The end portions of said conveyor are supported by shafts or drums b b; it is shown as running over idlers 79 positioned within the chamber A, and its idle run or lead is below said chamber.

Within the limits of the chamber are stationary deflectors C C; the deflectors C extending inwardly from one wall, as 0, of the chamber A, whereas the other deflectors C extend inwardly from the other wall, 0', of said chamber. The deflectors C on one side of the chamber are spaced relatively to each other to provide ad acent circulating compartments D in the corresponding side of chamber A. Similarly, deflectors C are spaced relatively to each other to produce other circulatin compartments D on the corresponding side of the drying chamber.

According to this invention the deflectors C in one series are in alternate or staggered relation to the corresponding deflectors C in the other series, and 'further, each deflector is of a width in horizontal cross sec tion equal substantially to the interval tween two adjacent baffles on the endless conveyor, as will more fully appear presently.

It is a parent that the number'of deflectors C and compartments D D is not material, the number being dependent in a measure u on the longitudinal dimensions of the drying chamber and dependent, also, .upon the number of times it is or may become desirable to direct the course of circulation of the drying medium across the path of movement of the conveyor and its load. As shown, the deflectors extend vertically within the drying chamber, and said deflectors are unitary with the walls 0 c of said chamber; but the particular form of the deflectors is not' material.

E are the movable baflles, the same being carried by the endless conveyor. As shown, each baflle is a flat imperforate plate -the height of which is equal substantially to the space between the top of the chamber and the upper runof the conveyor, whereas the width of said bafiieis equal substantially to the space between the deflectors C C in the opposite walls, see Fig. 3. Said baflles are attached fixedly to the conveyor in a suitable manner; as shown in Fig. 4 that edge of the baflie next to the conveyor is rigldly fastened to an angle iron 6 which latter is attached to the conveyor so that the baflies remain inpermanent relation to the conveyor. The baffles are thus movable with the conveyor so as to travel therewith through the drying chamber and around the drums b b.

In my apparatus the bafiies are spaced relatively to each other, the interval between two adjacent bafiles being equal substantially to, 'or bein slightly less than, theCwidth of the in ividual deflectors C or Means are provided for supplying a drying medium to the chamber A. It is usual to employ air as the drying medium, although rnace gases, or other aeriform fluid, may be utilized dependent upon the temperature desired and the character or nature of the substance or product to be dried. Air is circulated by means of a fan or blower, the air being usually preheated to a desired temperature, and being supplied by a flue or duct, the point of inlet being indicated at f in chamber D, see Fig. 1, whence the air circulates in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. It has not been considered necessary to illustrate the blower, the preheater, or the air duct, for the reason that such adjuncts are usual in the drier art.

Within the compartments D D tioned boosters or reheaters F F of any appropriate character. Said boosters are supplied with a desirable heating agent, such as steam, either-live or superheated, hot air, furnace gases, or electric energy, or other agent. The boosters are shown as steam coils, extending lengthwise of the chambers D D, and supplied with steam from ipes or mains f, the latter havin suitab e stop cocks f for controlling and regulating the flow of the heating agent.

The operation is as follows :-Steam is supplied to the boosters; the conveyor is set in motion, and air heated to a desired temperature is blown into the chamber. The material or product to be dried is supplied in any desired manner tothe conveyor, being deposited thereupon in the spaces between the bafiies, and said material or product is carried into and through the chamber A by the travel of the conve or. The drying medium flows from one o amber D and in one direction across the conveyor and be tween certain of the baflles E; enters one chamber D and is directed by the first deflector C to flow in an opposite direction across the conveyor and between certain other baflies E; enters the-next chamber D and is deflected by the second baflles C so as to again reverse the direction of flow in a manner to again send it across the conveyor and between still other bafiles E thereon, and so on throu hout the length of the drying chamber. onveyor B and baflles E travel within chamber A, preferably with a continuous movement, although such motion may be intermittent; but the relation of baflies E to deflectors C C is such that at all times one or more of the baiiles E are in register with deflectors C C; in other words, at no period in the movement of the conveyor and the baflles does there exist a condition wherein a bafiie or bafiles are out of register with the deflectors C C, hence at no time is there free communication between compartments D D or D D on one side or the other of the drying chamber. The moving baflles thus cooperate with the deflectors to cut off the direct flow of the drying medium in a straight course within the drying chamber, but on the contrary, said'moving baflles and stationary deflectors cooperate to the end that the drying medium is compelled to flow back and forth within the dry ing chamber, or from one side thereof to t 0 other, so that said drying medium circulates transversely across the path of the conveyor,

are posiaeeaori through the spaces between the spaced baffles thereon, and into contact with the material or product constituting the load 1mpo'sed upon the conveyor. The flow of the drying medium within'the compartments D D resultsin contact wlth the boosters, by which said medium is reheated .to a desired temperature with a view to restoring to the drying medium the heat units extracted therefrom by contact with the moist mater al in effecting the exchange of heat for moisture, and thus the dryin medium flows into contact alternately wit the material or product and with the boosters, the latter acting, in the intervals between the successive contacts of said drying medium with the material, to reheat said drying medium in a manner to maintain the same at an uniform temperature, or even to an ncreased temperature, with a view to attaining efficiency in the drying operation and economy in the consumption of the heating agent for the boosters or reheaters.

In the constructional form of apparatus shown in Figsr5, 6 and 6, the dryin chamber A, the deflectors C C, the ba as E, and the boosters F F are in'a general way similar to the apparatus hereinbefore described with the object in view of controlling and directing the circulation of a drying medium in a back and forth direction transversely to the path of movement of a traveling conveyor. Said apparatus, however, embodies an overhead conveyor from which the load (products or material to be dried) and the baflles are suspended so as to be movable within the drying chamber. The roof or top a of the drying chamber 18 provided with a channel a, in which is positioned an overhead track or runway, shown in Fig. 6 as consisting of a plurality of channel irons b 6 arranged one below the other. The moving conveyor consists of double chains B having rollers 6* adapted to travel upon the channel irons of said track or runway; although it will be understood that a singlechannel iron and a single conveyor chain may be used, and, further, that any desired form oi: conveyor may be substituted for the particular conveyor here in shown.

Said overhead conveyor is adapted to carry the product to be dried in a suspended relation to the top of the drying chamber,

for which purpose said conveyor is shown as being provided with depending hooks g on which are hung the product to be dried, see Fi 5.

The moving baffles E are suspended from the overhead conveyor, each bafile comprising a flat imperforate member the width and height of which are equal substantially to the width and depth of the chamber, see Fig. 6. Each battle is attached to, or

connected with, the overhead conveyor by.

suitable means; as shown, a yoke shaped bar It is fastened to the bafiie and connected with the axles'of the rollers b for the double chain constituting the overhead conveyor. The bafiles are thus suspended from the conveyor for movement within the drying chamber, and said baflies are so related to the walls of the chamber that they 'are normally at a right angle to the plane of said walls, whereby the baflles cannot be shifted by the flow and contact of the drying medium out of their desired positions relatively to the chamber. The overhead conveyor runs out .of and into the drying chamber so that the load .can be removed therefrom and connected therewith, the movement of said conveyor being continuous or intermittent, but the travel of said conveyor and the suspended baflies within the chamber exposes the suspended load to the action of the drying medium, the latter flowing back and forth within said chamber and in a path transversely to the conveyor and between the bafiies thereon. The drying medium flowing into contact repeat edly with the product exchanges heat for moisture, and said drying medium is re heated by contact with the boosters for maintaining said medium in a desired condition and at a required temperature.

In Figs. 7 and 8 there is shown a constructional form of drier for rapidly loading and unloading flow materials usually stored in bulk condition, provision being made for the automatic feed of said flow material to a movable conveyor. The drying chamber A is a comparatively shallow elongated structure'of desired cross sectional dimensions, the Walls of said chamber being provided with deflectors as hereinbefore described, one series of which being indicated at C, and the said deflectors being relatively spaced along the opposing walls to produce circulating chambers, certain of which are indicated at D, which chambers contain the boosters or reheaters F and F all as hereinbefore described. Within said chamber A moves the endless conveyor B and the baffles E said conveyor being supported and driven by drums b b and the loading and delivery end portions of said conveyor be ing extended beyond the drying chamber. The baflles E extend at a right angle to the conveyor, the dimensions of each bafiie being proportioned to the interior cross sectional dimensions of the drying chamber. said baflies being attached fixedly to said conveyor by appropriate means.

Positioned over the loading end of the conveyor is a hopper G for containing the loose material in bulk. The bottom of said hopper is provided with suitable force feed means, the same being shown as rollers H positioned in the outlet throat 9' of the hopper and said rollers being operated by appropriate means, shown as a belt k driven deposit said material upon the conveyor and in the spaces or pockets existing between the adjacent baflies. Below the delivery end of the conveyor is a receptacle G into which the dried material is dumped by the movement of said conveyor around the drum 6' at the delivery end. .Thematerial is supplied in batches automatically to the conveyorupon which it is confined i-n separated masses by the battles, and said conveyor carries the material within the drying cham bers wherein the material is. subjected to evaporation by the flow of the drying medium transversely across the path of said conveyor, said medium circulating as hereinbefore described and being reheated by contact with the boosters.

An apparatus for drying manufactured products of large dimensions is. shown partly in Fig. 9, the same'being constructed for. operation in accordance with this invention. Within the drying chamber A operates an endless carrier B of a form adapted to carry the product to be dried, the same being depicted as anenameled automobile body, although it is apparent that the apparatus is or may be constructed for the treatment of other large objects. The drying chamber contains thedeflectors C C, compartments D D, and boosters F F, all as hereinbefore described. Conveyor B'is equipped with baflles E spaced with respect to each other for cooperation with deflectors D D in the side walls of the cham-' her A. In this instance the baflles are detachably fitted to, or connected with, the conveyor so that said battles are to be placed upon the conveyor at or before its entry into the drying chamber, and as the conveyor moves around the drum 6' at the delivery end the baffles drop ofl said conveyor, the return lead or run of said conveyor being empty. It is apparent that any suitable means may be employed for retaining the baflles in the desired relation to the load-carrying run or lead of said conveyor, but as one means for this purpose there is shown in Fig. 9 a pair of parallel cleats 2', said cleats being fixed to the conveyor and the cleats of each pair being in such relation that the baffle engages frictionally therewith and to such an extent as to remain 'in an upright position during the travel of the carrier and its load within the drying chamber.

Although I have described my invention as especially useful in connection with the operation of drying materials or substances, it is apparent that said apparatus is equally useful in the operation of exposing materials to heat for thepurpose of conducting.

analogous operations on said materials, as e. g. baking coatings of materials applied to manufactured products.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A drier embodying a chamber, means for transporting within said chamber the material to be treated, deflectors positioned on opposite walls of said chamber, and battles movable within said chamber, the interval between two of said baffles being equal substantially to the length of one defiector.

2. A drier embodying a chamber, means for transporting within said chamber the material to be treated, deflectors positioned within said chamber at the respective sides side of the conveyor path being in alternate relation to the deflectors at the other side of said path, and baflles movable concurrently with said conveyor, the interval between each two baflles being equal substantially to the length of one deflector.

4. A drier embodying a chamber, an end less conveyor extending lengthwise within the chamber substantially continuously thereof, deflectors positioned within the chamber and at the respective sides of the path of said conveyor, the deflectors at one side of the conveyor path being in alternate relation to the deflectors at the other side of said path, and battles carried by said conveyor and movable therewith, the interval between each two baffles being equal substantially to the length of one deflector.

5. A drier embodying a chamber, an endless conveyor extending lengthwise within said chamber, deflectors positioned within said chamber and at the respective sides of the path of the conveyor therein, the deflectors at each side of said conveyor path being relatively spaced to produce heaterchambers, baflles movable concurrently with said conveyor, the interval between two adjacent bafllles being equal substantially to the length of one deflector and said bafiles being spaced to the heater chambers to provide a plurality of flow channels from the heater chambers on one side to the heater chambers on the opposite side of the conveyor path, andboosters within said heating chambers.

6. A drier embodying a chamber, an endless conveyor extendin within said chamber lengthwise thereoi a plurality of deflectors within said chamber, there being a number of. said deflectors at each side of the conveyor path and said deflectors being relatively spaced to produce at the sides of the conveyor path a number of heater chambers, and baflies movable concurrently with said conveyor, said bafiles being relatively spaced to produce separate flow channels extending crosswise of the conveyor and said channels having free communication with said heaterchambers, and boosters positioned within said heater chambers.

7. A .drier embodying a chamber, an endless conveyor operable substantially therein, deflectors positioned at the respective sides of the path of said conveyor, said deflectors being spaced with respect to heater chambers at opposite sides of the conveyor path, and "baflles movable concurrently with said conveyor, said baflles bein relatively spaced to produce flow channe s crosswise of the conveyor, there being a plurality of said baflles between adjacent deflectors positioned at the respective sides of the conveyor path, and boosters within the heater chambers.

8. A drier embodying a chamber, an endless conveyor operable within said chamber, deflectors positioned within said chamher and at the respective sides of the conveyor path, baffles carried by said conveyor and detachable therefrom, theinterval between two adjacent bafiles being equal substantially to the length of one deflector, and boosters at, the respective sides of the conveyor path.

9. A drier embodying a chamber, a conveyor movable relatively thereto, a succession of baflles movable with said conveyor, each baflle being equal in area substantially to the cross sectional area of said chamber, and deflectors positioned at the opposite walls of said chamber, the width of each deflector being equal substantially to the intervals between the baflies.

10. A drier embodying a chamber, a conveyor movable relatively thereto, deflectors positioned at the respective sides of the chamber, the deflectors on-each side of the chamber being relatively spaced to produce compartments adapted for the circulation therein of a drying medium, and baflies movable with said conveyor, the width of each deflector in horizontal cross section being equal substantially to the intervals between the baflles, and said deflectors and baffles cooperating'to direct a, drying medium in a zigzag course and transversely to the path of the conveyor.

11. In a drier, a chamber, means for moving material therein, a plurality of booster chambers, means separating booster chambers one from the other, and baflles movable within said first chamber, said battles and said separating means being mutually related for cutting ofl' communication between adjacent booster chambers at any period in the movement of the -baflles within said first named chamber.

12. In a drier, a chamber, means for moving material therein, a succession of booster chambers, means for separating adjacent booster chambers to cut off communication one from the other, and baflles movable within the first chamber in a path intermediate the booster chambers, said baflies being in series intermediate the separating means for establishing individual channels within which a drying atmosphere is free to flow in a transverse direction to the path of. the material moving means.

13. In a drier, a chamber, means for moving material therein, a succemion of booster chambers separated one from the other to cut ofl communication between adjacent chambers, and baflies movable within the first chamber in a path intermediate said booster chambers, the dimensions of each baflle being equal substantially to the cross section of the first chamber and said baflles being in series with reference to each booster chamber for establishing individual channels forthe flow of a drying atmosphere in a path transversely to the direction ofmovement of the material moving means.

14. In a drier,.-:a longitudinal chamber, means for moving material therein, a succession of booster chambers, separators ositioned intermediate adjacent booster c ambers, and battles movable within the longitudinal chamber and intermediate opposing booster chambers, said bafies being in series intermediate the ends of the booster chambers for establishing individual channels within which a drying medium is free to flow transversely to the path of the material moving means, and. said baflles and said separators being mutually related for cutting ofi communication between adjacent booster chambers at any point in the movement of the baffles within said longitudinal chamber.

15. In a drying apparatus, a chamber, a plurality of booster chambers separated one from the other, and a succession of elements movable within said chamber and performing the function of bafiles for directing a drying atmosphere transversely with respect to said first chamber, said elements and the booster chamber-separating means being mutually related for cutting oii communication between adjacent booster chambers in any position of the elements within the first chamber.

. 16. In a drying apparatus, an elongated chamber, a plurality of booster chambers positioned at opposite sides of the medial line of said elongated chamber, the adjacent booster chambers being separated one from the other, and means within said elongated chamber and performing the function of bafiles for directing a drying atmosphere in a path transversely with respect to said elongated chamber, said baflie formin means being movable Within said elongated chamber and co-operating with the booster chamber separators for precluding the flow of the drying atmosphere from one booster chamber to another.

17. In a dr ing apparatus, an elongated chamber, a p urality of separated booster chambers, and means movable within the elongated chamber and performing the function of bafiles in directing the flow of a drying atmosphere transversely within the elongated chamber, said ba-file acting means and the booster-chamber separators being c0- operable for precluding the flow of the drying atmosphere from one booster chamber to an adjacent booster chamber during the movement of said battle forming means.

In testimony my name hereto.

DAVID S. BAKER.

whereof I have subscribed I 

